Metal stud and panel



April 4, 19657 R. G. AMES METAL sTun AND PANEL 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 5, 1963 NVENTR oETGMES Y Waeawl WOT TTOBZVEY April 4, 1967 R. G. AMES 3,332,032

METAL STUD AND PANEL Filed July 5. 1965 5 sheets-sheet .ay

OE'Ry-f GMES .BY ly M, Wip TTONE AWN 4 m. G. AMES mmm METAL STUD AND PANEL Filed July 5, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O 3,312,032 METAL STUD AND PANEL Robert G. Ames, Hillsborough, Calif., assigner to Ames Taping Tool Systems Manufacturing Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 5, 1963, Ser. No. 292,996 8 Claims. (Cl. 52--580) The present invention relates to improvements in a metal stud for walls in buildings and it consists in the combinations7 constructions and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a metal stud which consists of two complemental halves that are identi- Cal to each other in construction. One half is turned end for end with respect to the other half before the two are brought into contact with each other to `form the completed metal stud. The halves can be stamped out of sheet metal by a cutting and forming die.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which one of the half members may be `secured to a bottom plate or rail provided in the building and the other half member may be adjusted vertically with respect to the first half member before the two are secured together so as to compensate for any variations in height between the floor and ceiling and then the other said half member may have its upper end secured to the top plate or rail. The same means that adjustably secures the two half members together `so as to permit the overall length of the assembled and interlocking members to be varied also prevents the two halves from being pulled apart when subjected to any horizontal pull on the two members tending to separate them, the pull being in the directions lying within the plane of the partition or wall of which the metal stud -forms a part.

A further object of my invention is to provide a metal stud that is especially `designed to support plaster board gypsum lath and the two identical halves of the stud permit the partition or wall to be progressively built to any desired length by merely adding additional units of plaster board or lath and metal studs until the partition or wall is completed. A tie 'wire can extend from one end of the wall or partition to the other and have its ends secured to the metal ystuds positioned at these ends. Any intermediate metal studs can have openings provided therein through which the tie wire passes.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a metal stud in which each identical half member has parallel, vertical and spaced apart channels for receiving the vertical edges of the plaster boards that are to be connected to the channels. Novel means is provided for accommodating plaster boards of slightly different thicknesses and causing the outer surface of the boards to lie flush with the outer surface of the channel regardless of the variations in plaster board thicknesses. The metal channels in the studs have openings for permitting the entrance of mastic into the channels for filling up any voids that might exist between the edge of the plaster board and the adjacent surface of the channel that parallels this edge.

In a modified form of my metal stud, I 4form the outer flange of each channel into a row of teeth that are designed to enter the edge of the board received in the channel to aid in securing the board to the stud. Moreover, the modified form of metal stud can have the teeth not only extend into the adjacent edges of the plaster boards, but the bases of the teeth extend at right angles to the tips of the teeth and parallel the board edges and provide mastic-receiving recesses between adjacent teeth. These recesses when lled with mastic permit the mastic to act as a bond between the plaster board and the metal stud.

ICC

The metal stud is simple in construction and can be stamped out from sheet metal. Where the modified form of the device is to be stamped out, the teeth are so designed that a single cut in the `sheet metal will form the teeth for two adjacent half members of the metal stud.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel Ifeatures of the invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

DRAWINGS For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE l is an isometric view of portions of tw-o identical halves of my metal stud, one of these halves being turned end for end. The two halves are shown spaced from each other a slight distance for clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of my metal stud arranged in a partition or wall and is `shown on a much smaller scale.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical face view of a portion of one of the identical halves and is on the same scale as FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse horizontal section through one of the metal stud halves and is taken along the `section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section through the two halves of the metal stud when they are interconnected and it is taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, but is shown on the same scale as FIGURES l, 3 and 4.

FIGURE o is a vertical transverse section through porltions of two identical halves and shows them in mating relation.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6, but shows the portions of the two identical halves separated from each other a slight distance for clarity. The -left hand member of FIGURE 7 is a vertical section along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through the upper part of the metal stud showing the two halves interconnected and illustrating how one of the halves can extend higher than the other half and be secured to a top rail or plate in the building. The section is taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but shows a modified form of metal stud.

FIGURE l0 is a horizontal section showing the two halves of the modified form in mating relation with respect to each other.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In carrying out my invention, I will first describe the preferred form of metal stud in detail. FIGURE l shows the two halves A and B of the metal stud as being identical to each other, but the half stud B is reversed in length to the other half stud A and then the two stud halves are brought together to form the complete stud. Each metal stud half can be of any length desired so as to be usable in buildings having different heights be.- tween the iloors, and the ceilings. The reference numerals used to designate different parts of the metal stud half A, will also be used on the metal stud half B, for similar parts, but they will be primed. The metal half studs A and B are preferably formed from sheet metal and are bent and cut in the manner shown in FIGURE 1.

The half stud A has a transverse central web portion 1 interconnecting two spaced apart and parallel extending vertical channels All and A2. The vertical channel A1 is designed to receive an edge 2 of a plaster board C1 While the vertical channel A2 is designed to receive an edge 3 of a plaster board C2. For the purpose of clarity I have shown the edge 2 of the plaster board C1 spaced a slight distance from the base 4 of the channel A1 and I have also shown the edge 3 of the plaster board C2 spaced a slight distance from the base 5 of the channel A2. In actual practice the edge 2 may abut the inner face of the base 4 and the edge 3 may abut the inner face of the base 5. Y

The channels A1 and A2 have outer flanges 6 and 7, respectively, that extend over portions of the outer surfaces 8 and 9, of the plaster boards C1 and C2 and cover any void should the edge of the board C1 not actually contact with the inner surface of the channel base 4 and should the edge 3 of the board C2 not actually contact with the inner surface of the channel base 5. I will describe hereinafter how such voids can be filled with mastic which when set will provide a solid connection between the plaster boards and their channels.

Where a hidden, taped joint is desired it is important that the outer face 8 of the plaster board C1 lie flush with the outer face 6a of the flange 6, and that the outer face 9 of the plaster board C2 lies flush with the outer face 7a of the flange 7. Before the plaster board C1 has its edge 2 received in the vertical channel A1, the board is provided with a recess 8a that borders the edge 2. Also before the plaster board C2 has its edge 3 received within the vertical channel A2, the board is provided with a recess 9a that borders the edge 3. The recesses 8a and 9a have a depth equal to the thickness of the flanges Vt and 7.

The plaster boards C1 and C2 should be of uniform thickness. In actual practice there are differences in the thicknesses of board edges. I provide novel means which will position the plaster boards in the channels so that their outer surfaces 8 and 9 will lie ilush with the outer surfaces 6a and 7a of the flanges 6 and 7 even though the thickness of the board C1 is not exactly the same as the thickness of the board C2'. The inner wall 10 of the vertical channel A1 has inclined wall portion 10a that extends toward the flange 6 and the inner face 8b of the plaster board C1 when contacting with this inclined wall portion will urge the board against the outer ilange 6 and it will bring the outer face 8 of the board into the same plane as the outer face 6a of the flange. Also the inner wall 11 of the vertical channel A2 has an inclined Wall portion 11a that extends toward the flange 7 and the inner face 9b of the plaster board C2 when contacting with this inclined wall portion will urge the board against the outer flange 7 and it will bring the outer face 9 of the board into the same plane as the outer face 7a of the flange.

I provide additional yielding means for urging the plaster boards C1 and C2, outwardly so as to align the outer faces 8 and 9 of these boards with the outer faces 6a and 7a of the flanges 6 and 7, respectively. This yielding means is best illustrated in the metal stud half B shown in FIGURE l because the rear surfaces of this stud are in view whereas in the half stud A, the rear or inner sur faces are hidden from view. A description of the yielding means shown on the metal half stud B, will hold true for the same means in the metal half stud A, because the horizontal section through the entire stud in FIGURE 5, shows this yielding means for the half stud A to be the same.

The half 4metal stud B shown in FIGURE 1 shows the inner walls and 11 that extend at right angles to the web portion 1 as being provided with tongues 12 and 13'. These tongues are struck out from openings 1d' and 15 in the inner wall portions 1G and 11 respectively. The cross section of FIGURE 5 shows the outwardly inclined tongues 12 bearing against the inner surface 8b of plaster board C1 and outwardly inclined tongues 13 bearing against the inner surface 9b of plaster board C2. The plaster board C1 is received in channel A1 of the half stud B, and the plaster board C2 is received in channel A2 ofthe same half stud.

In like manner FIGURE 5 illustrates the half stud A as having outwardly inclined tongues 12 bearing against the inner surface 8b of the plaster board C1 and outwardly inclined tongues 13 bearing against the inner surface 9b of the plaster board C2, see also FIGURE l for tongue 13. This illustrates one way of accommodating for plaster boards of different thicknesses and shows how the outer faces 8 and 9 of the aligned plaster boards C1 and C2 can be caused to lie in the same plane as the outer faces 6a and 7a of the outer flanges 6 and 7', respectively. It further shows how the outer faces 8 and 9 of the aligned plaster boards C1 and C2 can be caused to lie in the same plane as the outer faces 6a and 7a, of the outer flanges 6 and 7, respectively. Smooth exterior surfaces for the partition or Wall is thus assured.

I provide struck up and inwardly extending integral pointed prongs 16 that project from the base 4` of the channel A1 of the half metal stud A and are designed to enter the adjacent end 2 of the plaster :board C1, see FIGURES 1 and 5. I also provide struck up and inwardly extending integral prongs 17 that project from the base 5 of the channel A2 and these are designed to enter the adjacent end 3 of the plaster board C2. The other half metal stud B is likewise provided with inwardly extending integral prongs 16 and 17 for entering the adjacent ends of the plaster boards C1 and C2. The half metal studs and their associate plaster boards are interconnected in this manner.

The half metal studs A and B have integral guide fingers for aiding in the mating of the two half studs to form a single metal stud as shown in FIGURES l, 5, and 8. The half metal stud A has struck up guide lingers 18 and I19, see FIGURE 1. The guide linger 18 is struck up from an opening 20 in the base 4 of the channel A1 and the guide linger 19 is struck up from an opening 21 in the base 5 of the channel A2. Also the half metal stud B has struck up guide fingers 18 and 19 struck up from base portions 4 and 5', respectively, of channels A1 .and A2', leaving openings 20 and 21 in these base portions.

FIGURE 5 illustrates how the guide fingers 18 and 19 of the half stud A, will contact with the inclined wall portions 10u and 11a of the half stud B when the two half studs are brought into abutting relation. The same gure shows the guide fingers 18 and '19l of the half stud B, contacting with the inclined wall portions 10a and 11a of the half stud A. These lingers 18 and 19' in the -half stud A and 18 and 19 in the half stud B, will prevent lateral movement between the two half studs, see also FIGURE 8. They will also adjust the two stud halves A and B, laterally so as to have the outer face 6a of the outer flange 6 of the stud half A, lie llush with the outer face 7a' of the outer flange 7 of the stud half B. The other outer flange faces 7a and 6u' are likewise made to lie ilush with each other. The inclined wall portions 10a and 11a of the stud halves A and B will 'force the wallboards C1 and CZ outwardly for lkeeping Y their outer surfaces 8 and 9 flush with the outer flange faces 6a and 7a. A flat exterior wall surface extending across the metal stud joint is the result. The same is true of the other outer wallboard surfaces 9 and 8 of the wallboards C2 and C1 because the inclined wall portions 11a and 10a will force these wallboards outwardly.

I provide fastening means between the two half studs A and B when they are brought into abutting relation that will prevent the two half studs from being pulled apart. This `fastening means serves the additional function of permitting the half stud B to be adjusted vertically with r espect to the half stud A and be secured in its vertically adjusted position. It is therefore possible to secure the lower end of the half stud A to a bottom rail or plate D and then adjust the other half stud B vertically with respect to the half stud A, so that the upper end of the half stud B can support a top rail or plate E and be secured thereto.

FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 show the half metal stud A, provided with a plurality of upwardly and outwardly inclined tongues 22 and 23. FIGURE 1, shows the set of tongues 22 as being struck out of the base po-rtion 4 of the channel A1 of the half stud A, while the set of tongues 23 are struck out of the base portion 5 of the channel A2 of the same half stud A. FIGURE 2, indicates that three sets of tongues may be provided in the half stud A, although I do not wish to be confined to any exact number. An upper set, middle or central set, and a lower set of pairs of tongues are indicated by brackets F, G, and H in FIGURE 2.

Complementary sets of downwardly and outwardly inclined tongues 22' and 23 are illustrated in FIGURE 1 as being struck out of the base portions 4 and 5 of the parallel channels A1 and A2 of the half stud B. Again FIGURE 2 indicates that three sets of complemental tongues are provided in the half stud B and these are indicated by brackets F', G and H. In FIGURE 7, I show vertical' portions of the half studs A and B, spaced a slight distance apart with the downwardly inclined tongues 23 on the half stud B, and the upwardly inclined tongues 22 on the half stud A.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the mating of the two opposed tongue sections 23' and 22 when the two half studs A and B are brought into abutting engagement with each other. It will be seen that the lower surfaces of the downwardly inclined tongues 23 will slidably contact with the upper surfaces of the upwardly inclined tongues 22. 'IThe openings 24 provided between adjacent tongues 22 in the half stud A, see FIGURE 7, will receive the ends of the tongues 23 of the half stud B. In like manner the tongues 23 have openings 25 therebetween for receiving the ends of the tongues 22, see FIGURE 6.

The halt stud B can be adjusted vertically, see FIG- URES 6, 7 and 8, so that the outwardly bent anchor lip 26 disposed at the top -of the half stud, will bear against the underside 27 of the top rail E. Nails 28, or other suitable fastening means, are inserted in openings 29 in the anchor lip 26, and are driven into the top rail E for securing the top of the half stud B in place.

The central web portion 1, lying between the parallel channels A1 and A2 of the half stud B is preferably as wide as the width of the top plate E. This will per- :mit the side edges of the web portion 1' to -be cut downwardly in FIGURES 1 and 8 to the dot-dash line 30 in FIGURE 1 and then the anchor lip 26, thus provided, can be bent outwardly at right angles to the central web 1', as shown in FIGURE 8.

The parallel side channels A1 and A2 will straddle the sides of the top rail E, and will extend up to the ceiling line 3l, indicated in FIGURE 8. The portions of the parallel channels AI and A2 that extend up along side of the top rail E will serve a triple purpose. They will prevent lateral movement between the top of the half stud B and the top rail E; they will receive the upper portions of the plaster board sections C1 and C2', and they will aid in supporting the ceiling 31.

The half stud A, also has an anchor lip 32 at the lower end of the stud and indicated by the short horizontal portion on the small scale showing of the half stud A in FIGURE 2 and extending in the direction in which the wall is being progressively built. This Alip is secured to the bottom rail D by nails or screws, not shown, in the same manner as the anchor lip 261 is secured to the top rail E. The parallel channels A1 and of the half stud A will have their lower ends straddle the sides of the bottom rail D and extend to the floor as illustrated in FIGURE 2. When once the inclined tongues 22y and 23 on the half stud A are engaged by the complemental tongues 22 and 23 on the half stud B as indicated in FIGURE 6, then the two half studs cannot be separated from each other. In addition the interengaging tongues on the two half studs A and B will support the half stud B in the position into which it has been raised vertically. This is cleanly shown in FIGURES 2 and 8. Any variation in height between the oor and ceiling can be `accommodated by the vertical adjustment of the half stud B with respect to the half stud A before the two are interengaged, see FIGURES 6 and 7.

Mastic, not shown, can be used for filling any voids between the bases 4 and 5 of the parallel channels A1 and A2 of the half stud A and the adjacent edges 2 and 3 of the plaster boards C1 and C2. The parallel channels A1 and A2 are provided with spaced openings 33 and 34, respectively, through which mastic in a plastic state can be forced into the portions of the channels not already filled with the plaster boards C1 and C2 to till these voids. When this mastic is set, it will act as a bond between the half stud A and the plaster boards C1 and C2 and will secure the parts together as a unit.

The parallel channels A1 and A72 are provided with openings similar to the openings 33 and 34, for the same purpose of bonding the plaster boards C1 and C2 to the half stud B when mastic is forced through these openings to ll any voids in the channels. Only the openings 34 are illustrated in the channel A2' in FIGURE l.

It is possible to reinforce the plaster board wall or partition shown on the small scale in FIGURE 2. A top tie wire 35 and a bottom tie wire 36 extend from end to end of the partition and the ends of the tie wires are secured to the end studs by any means, none being shown. The intermediate studs, such as the ones A-B shown in FIGURE 2, can have openings provided in their central web portions I and 1', through which the tie wires can extend. The central web I for the half stud A is provided with an oval-shaped knock-out piece 37, see FIG- URE 1. Also the central web 1 for the half stud B is pro-vided with an oval-shaped knock-out piece 37. In FIGURE 8, both of these pieces 37 and 37 have been knocked out and they leave openings 358 and 38 through which the top tension Wire 35 extends. In the same way, openings, not shown, are provided near the lower ends of the half studs A and B to receive the low-er tie wire 36,

In FIGURE 2, I show a wall being progressively built with my metal studs A-B and the plast-er boards. I have shown the bottom rail D supported by the floor and the top rail 27 which may be secured to a ceiling. I have indicated five plaster boards C1 already in position and their adjacent edges secured to my metal studs A-B. The `assembling of the plaster board sections and metal studs has been carried out for five sections and the plaster boards in these sections have been all indicated as CI. The last plaster board section, the one shown at the extreme right in FIGURE 2 is designated G2 and has been broken away to illustrate the bottom and top rail portions D and E by full lines.

It will be noted that the lower lips 32 on the half stud members A, extend to the right in FIGURE 2 so that these may be nailed to the lower or bottom rail D as the construction of the walil progresses from left to right. This is so the lip 32 can be nailed in place after the half stud A is secured to the adjacent plaster board section C1. The top lips 26 on the half studs B are also nailed to the top rail E as the wall is progressively built.

In FIGURES 9 and 10, I show a modified form of metal stud. The parallel channels I1 and I2 for the half stud .T are the same as the channels A1 and A2 are for the half stud A, except that the channels are of less width than the thickness of the plaster boards L1 and L2, and tooth-shaped projections I3 and .T4 are formed in portions of the channel bases 50 and 5I, respectively. The tooth-shaped projections J3 have their outer pointed ends 52 bent at right angles, see FIGURE 9 so as to be received in the edge 56 of the plaster board L1. Also the tooth-shaped projections I4 have their outer pointed ends 53, see FIGURE 10, bent at right angles so as to be received in the edge 57 of the plaster board L2. The outer pointed ends 52 and 53 of the tooth-shaped projections I3 and I4 take the yplace of th-e pointed prongs 16 and 17 of the half stud A.

FIGURE 9 shows the tooth-shaped projections I3 and I4 as being pointed. The projections I3 and I4 provide recesses 58 and 59, respectively, between the base portion-s of these projections, these recesses permitting mastic to be received between the edges 56 and 57 of the plast-er boards L1 and L2 and the adjacent base portions SII and 51 in the parallel channels Il and I2 in case the edges are spaced from the base portions.

In FIGURE l0, the outer surface 60 of the plaster board L1 is shown extending over the bent outer ends 52 of the tooth-shaped projections J3. In like manner the outer surface 6I of the plaster board L2 is shown extending over the bent outer ends S3 of the tooth-shaped projections I The recesses 58 and 59 will be lled with mastic as well as any voids between the plaster board edges 56 and 57 and the adjacent bases Sil and 5I. When this mastic sets, the half stud J will be 'bonded to the ends of the plaster boards L and L2.

The half stud I had guide fingers 64 and 65 that are similar to the guide ngers 1S and I9 for the half stud A. The outwardly and upwardly inclined tongues 66 and 67 are arranged in different groups in the half stud I and these perform the same function as the sets of tongues 22 and 23 in the half stud A. It will further be seen from FIGURE 9, that the half stud I has an ova1shaped knock-out portion 68 that is similar to the knock out portion 37 of the half stud A, and is for thesame purpose.

The other half stud K in the modified form of metal stud is similar to the half stud J and corresponding parts will be given like reference numerals except that they will be primed. The half stud K is reversed in its position end for end from the half stud J so that the tongues will be extending outwardly and downwardly (see tongues 67" in FIGURE 9) instead of outwardly and upwardly as are the tongues 66 and 67. When the two half studs J and K are brought into abutting position as shown in FIGURE IO, to form the complete metal stud, the tongues 66 and 67 of the half stud I, not shown in FIGURE 10, will engage with the tongues of the other half stud K for interlocking the two half studs together in just the same manner as the tongues 22 and 23 of the half stud A, engage with the tongues 22' and 23' of the half stud B.

The channels II and J2' of the half stud K will receive the adjacent ends of the plaster boards L1 and L2', see FIGURES 9 and l0. The modified form of the invention provides more space between the toothedshaped projections I3 and I4, to receive mastic than is provided in the preferred form of metal stud composed of the half studs A and B. In FIGURE 10, I show how the outer face 60 of the plaster board L1 lies ush with the outer face 61' of the plaster board L2. The opposed edges of the two plaster boards practically conceal the metal stud IK. It is possible to apply mastic and tape, not shown, to conceal the joint between the two plaster boards L1 and L2. The same holds true when covering the joint between the plaster boards LI and L2, shown in FIGURE l0,

FIGURES 1 andS show the plaster boards C1, C2, C1 and C2', grooved for receiving the flanges 6, 7, 6 and 7'. It is possible to have the flanges contact with the outer surfaces S, 9, 8 and 9 of the plaster boards and the boards not be grooved so as to receive these flanges. The openings 24 and 25 in the channels A1 and A2 could be enlarged so as to permit more of a vertical adjustment between the half studs A and B. It is also possible to have a plurality of openings 24 and 2S arranged in a row to accomplish the same purpose rather than making the openings 24 and 25 larger.

I have mentioned that the openings 33 and 34 in the channels A1 and A2 for the half stud A, and the openings 33 and 34 in the channels AI and A2 in the half stud B, are for .the purpose of permitting some of the mastic applied over the joints in the abutting wallboard pieces to enter the interior of the channels and fill any spaces between the edges of the wallboard pieces received in the channels and the interior surfaces of the channels. In addition, the openings 33, 34 and 33 and 34 perform two more functions.

These openings permit the operator to look through them and see how far the edges of the wallboard pieces extend into the channels. Without these openings, it would be difcult to determine how far the wallboard edges extended into the channels.

I claim:

1. A metal stud comprising:

(a) two halves; each half having (b) `an elongated web with parallel channels for receiving the edges of plaster boards and extending along the sides of the web; each channel having an inner wall, an outer flange and a base portion interconnecting the wall and the flange;

(c) the inner wall of each channel paralleling the outer flange of the same channel;

(d) the inner wall of each channel being provided with an outwardly inclined portion that terminates at the channel base portion;

(e) whereby the end of a plaster board when moved into the channel will have its inner surface contacted by the outwardly inclined portion of said inner channel wall for forcing the outer surface of the plaster board against the inner surface of said channel outer flange; the plaster board being grooved in its outer surface to receive said ange so that the outer surface of the plaster board lies flush with the outer surface of said flange.

2. A metal stud comprising:

(a) two halves; each half having (b) an elongated web with parallel channels for receiving the edges of plaster boards and extending along the sides of the web, each channel having an inner wall, an outer flange and a base portion interconnecting the wall and the flange;

(c) the inner wall of each channel paralleling the outer flange of the same channel;

(d) said inner wall having yielding tongues for -bearing against the inner surface of a plaster board portion received in the channel for forcing the outer surface of the plaster board against the inner surface` of said channel outer flange; the plaster board being grooved in its outer surface to receive said flange so that the outer surface of the plaster lboard lies ush with the outer surface of said ange.

3. A metal stud comprising:

(a) two halves; each half ihaving (lb) an elongated web with parallel channels for receiving the edges of plaster boards and extending `along the sides of Ithe web; each channel having an inner wall, an outer ange and a `base portion interconnecting the wall and the Harige;

(c) the inner wall of each chainrrefl paralleling the outer flange of the same channel;

(d) the inner wall of each channel being provided with an outwardly incl-ined portion ythat terminates at the channel base portion;

(e) whereby the end of a plaster `board when moved into the channel will have its innen surface contacted by the outwardly inclined portion 'of said inner channel wall for forcing the outer surface of the plaster board against the inner` surface of said channel Kouter ange.

4. In a metal stud:

(a) an elongated member made ifrom sheet metal and having (lb) a central web with parallel and spaced apart ,inte- -gr-al channels extending along the sides of said web, said channels being adapted to receive the edges of plaster boards; each channel having (c) an outer flange for `contacting Wi-th the Outer sur face of the wallboard Whose e-dge is received in the channel; yand (d) yan inner inclined wall for contacting with the 'inner surface of the wallcoard and urging it toward the inner surface of said 'outer ilange.

5. A metal stud comprising:

(a) two halves made frorn sheet rnetal; each half Ihaving;

(b) an elongated web with parallel and spaced apart lintegral channels extending along the sides of said web, said channels being adapted to receive the edges of plaster boards; each channel having (c) an louter flange for contacting with the outer suriface of the wallboafrd whose edge is received .in the channel; and

(d) each channel having an inner inclined Iwall for contacting with the inner surface of the wallboard and urging it tolward the inner surface of said outer flange associated with the same inclined wall.

6. A metal `stud comprising:

(a) `two halves; each half having (b) an elongated web with parallel channels for receiving the edges of plaster boards and extending along the sides of the web, each channel having an inner wall, an outer flange and a base portion interconnecting the Wall land the llange;

(c) said inner wall having yielding tongues for hearing against the inner `surface Iof a plaster board portion received in the channel for forcing the outer surface of the plaster hoard against the inner sur.- face lof said `channel outer flange; the plaster board being gro'oved in its outer surface t-o receive said ilange so that the outer sur-face of the plaster board lies flush with the outer surface of said flange.

7. In a wall construction:

(a) a met-al stud consisting of two halves;

(Ib) each half having a central web and parallel side channels, said channels having outer flanges and inner inclined Walls for contacting with the inner surfaces of wallboards received in the `channels for urging them toward the inner surfaces of said outer flanges, the wallboards having recesses in their outer surfaces and adjacent to the wallboard edges receiving 'said louter flanges so that the outer wallboard surfaces will lie ilush with the outer surfaces of said flanges;

(c) said half studs abutting each other so that the channels of one half stud will contact with the chan- 10 nels of the other half stud `and the webs of the two half studs will be spaced from each other; and

(d) leach half stud `having at least one pair of guide -ngers contacting with said inner inclined walls off the other half stud for positioning both half Studs laterally with respect to each other so that the outer surfaces of adjacent flanges lon the stud halves will lie ilush with one another, whereby the outer wall-board sunfaces and .the outer surfaces of the two flanges associated with these surfaces will all lie in a single plane.

8. A metal stud comprising:

(a) 'two halves; each half having;

(b) an elongated web `with parallel channels for receiving the edges tot plaster boards and extending along the sides of the web; each channel having an inner wall, van outer flange and a base portion intera connecting the wall and the ange;

(c) upstruck pointed prongs integnal with said channel hase portions iand adapted to penetrate the adjacent edges of the plaster boards lwhen they tare received in the channels;

(ed) means for securing the two halves together so that said channel base portions of opposed stud halves abut each other;

(e) each channel being provi-ded with spaced openings arranged along the corners` formed by the juncture of the .channel base portion with the outer flange;

(f) said openings providing passageways for the entrance of mastic to lill any voi-ds existing Ibetvveen the inner surfaces of said lbase portions and the adjacent edges lof the plaster lboards received in the channels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,826,133 10/1931 Hatch 52-495 1,870,011 8/1932 Johnson 52-496 X 1,883,871 10/1932 Bohnsack 52-495 2,005,145 6/1935 Kotrbaty 52-238 X 2,111,634 3/1938 Kotrb-aty l287-189.36 2,697,453 12/1954 Formenti 52,-731 2,955,688 10/1960 Karlstrom 287-18936 3,010,547 11/1961 Foster 52-479 X 3,125,193 3/1964 Brown et al. 52-495 X FOREIGN PATENTS 516,628 1/1953 Belgium.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD w. COOKE, JR., Examiner. 

1. A METAL STUD COMPRISING: (A) TWO HALVES; EACH HALF HAVING (B) AN ELONGATED WEB WITH PARALLEL CHANNELS FOR RECEIVING THE EDGES OF PLASTER BOARDS AND EXTENDING ALONG THE SIDES OF THE WEB; EACH CHANNEL HAVING AN INNER WALL, AN OUTER FLANGE AND A BASE PORTION INTERCONNECTING THE WALL AND THE FLANGE; (C) THE INNER WALL OF EACH CHANNEL PARALLELING THE OUTER FLANGE OF THE SAME CHANNEL; (D) THE INNER WALL OF EACH CHANNEL BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTWARDLY INCLINED PORTION THAT TERMINATES AT THE CHANNEL BASE PORTION; (E) WHEREBY THE END OF A PLASTER BOARD WHEN MOVED INTO THE CHANNEL WILL HAVE ITS INNER SURFACE CONTACTED BY THE OUTWARDLY INCLINED PORTION OF SAID INNER CHANNEL WALL FOR FORCING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE PLASTER 